Field of Disclosure
The following relates generally to wireless communication, and more specifically to open-loop timing and cyclic prefixes in cellular internet of things (IoT) communication.
Description of Related Art
Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, (e.g., a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system).
By way of example, a wireless multiple-access communications system may include a number of base stations, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, which may be otherwise known as a user equipment (UE). A base station may communicate with UEs on downlink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a base station to a UE) and uplink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a UE to a base station).
Some UEs may provide for automated communication. Automated UEs may include those implementing Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication or Machine Type Communication (MTC). M2M or MTC may refer to data communication technologies that allow devices to communicate with one another or a base station without human intervention. M2M or MTC devices may include UEs and may be used as part of an Internet of Things (IoT). Some M2M or MTC devices in an IoT may include parking meters, water and gas meters, and other sensors that may infrequently communicate small amounts of data.
In some cases, including in an IoT, a UE may be a power limited device, and closed loop synchronization may be a significant drain on the available power resources of the device (i.e., the battery). In cases where a UE transmits small data infrequently, the cost of maintaining closed loop timing may not be justified. For example, in a closed loop timing scheme, a UE may transmit an uplink signal to a base station in order to receive a timing advance to synchronize a data transmission. In such a scenario, the overhead cost of the closed loop timing uplink transmission may result in significant power consumption.